Useful Pages

Monday, August 19, 2013

Many of you may not know that Ann Patchett, author of State of Wonder and Bel Canto, owns a bookstore in Nashville named Parnassus. At the American Library Association meeting in June, she offered attendees a list of books she recommends to her customers that I thought might be of interest to all of you. The books she recommends are:

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves by Karen Joy Fowler
Coming of age in middle America, eighteen-year-old Rosemary evaluates
how her entire youth was defined by the presence and forced removal of
an endearing chimpanzee who was secretly regarded as a family member and
who Rosemary loved as a sister.

A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony MarraMarra
has written a brilliant debut novel that brings to life an abandoned
hospital where a tough-minded doctor decides to harbor a hunted young
girl, with powerful consequences.

Claire of the the Sea Light by Edwidge DanticatFrom
the best-selling author of "Brother, I'm Dying" and "The Dew Breaker: "
a stunning new work of fiction that brings us deep into the intertwined
lives of a small seaside town where a little girl, the daughter of a
fisherman, has gone missing.

A Day at the Beach: recollections by Geoffrey WolffIn these autobiographical essays, Wolff shares with the reader the wisdom of an alert man learning through the
unsettling collisions of time, place, and local custom, and through the
force of hardship and hazard, to bring his many disparate selves
together --with astonishing high-stakes candor and dazzling literary
agility.

Old Filthby Jane Gardam Filth
is a lawyer with a practice in the Far East. A few remember that his
nickname stands for Failed In London Try Hong Kong. But Old Filth is not
as pompous as people imagine, and his past contains many secrets and
dark hiding places.

The Casual Vacancy by J. K. Rowling
Pagford is a town at war. Who
will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity, and
unexpected revelations? Rowling's first novel for adults is blackly
comic, thought-provoking, and constantly surprising.

The Patrice Melrose Novels: Never Mind, Bad News, Some Hope and Mother's Milk by Edward St. AubynThis
single volume brings together the first four Patrick Melrose novels by
Booker Prize Finalist Aubyn. The collection includes "Never Mind, Bad
News, Some Hope," and "Mother's Milk." The novels take the reader into the world of the English upper class as theyfollow Patrick Melrose's story from child abuse to heroin addiction and recovery. Beautifully written.

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
This is a story of a boy and his painting. Theo lost his mother in an explosion and came into possession of a dutch painting entitled "The Goldfinch" that has the biggest impact on his life. As an adult he is led into the dark world of art theft. The novel has well-drawn characters, beautiful prose, and takes the reader through loss, love, and the world of art.

Take Ann Patchett's recommendations or check out our booklists here on the blog or our Pinterest site. Enjoy! SH

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

2013 PROGRAM SCHEDULE

Beginning Mid-August, the Wellesley Free Library will be hosting local author book talks the Third Thursday of every month. Come meet local authors in a small, casual group setting in the Main Library Arnold Room from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013

KEVIN WALSH THE PERFECT CATCH
The Perfect Catch is for all men, about forming lasting bonds and some really good fly fishing. Three adult brothers and their elderly father travel together for what could be their last time together to catch steel-head trout. Like the fish returning to the river to spawn, the Walsh men are returning to their roots as a family.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2013

DREW YANNOIN THE MATTER OF MICHAEL VOGEL
In the late summer of 1966, in a small town in upstate New York, the body of eight year old Michael Vogel is found at the bottom of the deep end of the municipal swimming pool. This novel is told from the perspectives of three members of the community, whose stories all come together in a startling and thrilling conclusion.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2013

MICHAEL J. STEDMANA FOR ARGONAUT
The story of former Special Operations officer Lt. Colonel Mack Maran, betrayed by the Pentagon and tossed out of the Army. To restore his honor, he must unravel a conspiracy which leads him from a high-tech private spy firm to the dangerous streets of Kinshasa.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21

ROLLY WESTERRHYMING AROUND
A collection of humorous rhymes including “Young Ladies With Red Cars on Highways” and “In a Dentist’s Chair, Impatiently”.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 19

MICHAEL URBANIRONSIDE’S PERIL
The War if 1812 is long over, but the War of 2012 has just begun. In this suspenseful thriller, Boston is under attack, and “Old Ironsides” must be recaptured using 21st Century weapons and tactics.